Final Fantasy X-3 (Chapter 11)
by WilliamBodiford
Summary: The 11th chapter of my fanfiction (full length) story for FFX/X-2. There is more of the story to come. I only take credit for the scenarios in this story. Based on the events of Final Fantasy X/X-2 by Square Enix. (some characters based on the mentioned games)


Clarity

Mortima

She woke in a cold sweat, the memory of when she lost her kids to Sin registering as a nightmare. Of course, no one knew what to call the beast as it was Yu Yevon's first time summoning it. No one had seen it before that night. It was only later that Bevelle came up with 'Sin'. Stating that it was a fitting name as it appeared and ended the war with Zararkand, war being a sin. She recapped the events that followed the attack.

The man that finally managed to pry her from her home in the Besaid City slums travelled with her and LuAnn all the way to Moonflow City She wanted to visit her children in the Farplane, but she wasn't ready to say 'goodbye' to them yet. She, with LuAnn and the man who's name she, never could recall, stayed in the Big city of bridges. After a few days the man left when he was sure her and her daughter were okay. He planned to travel the world and learn the history or Spira, he had already been to Zanarkand a few months back and met a songstress named Lenne. He kept the trip interesting by telling LuAnn stories and showing her a sphere he recorded of the gigantic city. He said the city that never sleeps, how the Blitzball stadium was all lit up at night and how pretty it was. She sure was going to miss him and his stories.

After about a week and two beast attacks later, a group of robed priests went to the city center and called the citizens for an assembly. Mortima was going to the market when she seen them walking, LuAnn tugged on her arm and said, "Mommy, let's go see what they want." She looked at her daughter and nodded, "Okay." The little girl's face dropped, likely because her mom had barely spoken for a week except for a few words here and there.

When they got to the assembly of, self-dubbed, priests she picked up LuAnn so she could see over the crowd as the announcements were being made. One of the priests stepped up on the pedestal so he could be heard clearer:

'Citizens of Moonflow City, I am Father Timidaeu from Bevelle. I say 'Father' because, the Maesters of Spira have banded together to form a new order; Yevon. We will remain your Maesters as well as Priests of this new found religion.' He paused for a moment as many citizens started questioning aloud 'Why Yevon?', 'Wasn't he the Zanarkand Summoner that created the beast?' and 'Why a new order? What's wrong with what we have now?' Father Timidaeu raised a hand to silence the crowd. 'Citizens, I understand you have questions. I will adress them after, so please hold them as I will likely answer them in this assembly.' The crowd silenced to allow him to continue. 'Thank you. We, as Maesters of Spira, no Yevon, have decided to found this religion based on repentance. We have decided to call this new religion, 'Yevon' so we continue to remember that Yu Yevon, in his greed and thirst for power lost control of and was killed by the beast he summoned. We have decided to call it 'Sin' because of the war and how Yu Yevon's sins birthed it. Before he was killed he had vowed that the beast would continue to avenge the loss of the war as well as seek out and destroy towns and their people until it feels we have made up for what has transpired.' The crowd gasped and Mortima could hear crying and screaming.

After a few moments of reactions the Priest continued, 'We have no means of knowing how long the beast will ravage our lands, our cities, our people or if we will be erraticated before we have repented for what we have done in this war. What I can say is, we will not go down without a proper fight! We will take on Zanarkand's techniques of summoning to challenge the beast, to challenge Sin! However, to do that, it takes the merging of two souls; one living and one willingly departed. It is a price to pay, but it will be worth it should we erraticate Sin. I ask of you, citizens of Spira, would one of you be willing to forfeit your life to aid in the fight for Spira's freedom?' He waited for volunteers, everyone was mermuring and shifting uncomfortably. Mortima Thought of LuAnn and her lost children, Lucian and Lucinia. Then she thought of how this Sin murdered the twins and all she could think about was avenging them. This burst of anger was the first thing she felt since Besaid's attack.

She looked at LuAnn, who was hoisted on her hip and seen she was looking back at her. Her daughter must have seen what she was thinking on her face because she began crying and hugged her tightly. She put LuAnn on the ground and led her towards the front of the crowd then she knelt down and kissed her daughter on the forehead, she responded with tears and cries, she comforted her "Sweetie, it's okay. I have to do it for your brother and sister, I love you." and kissed her hard on the forehead again and she too began to cry, silently.

When she straightened her stance she turned to Father Timidaeu who was watching the heartbreaking scene and said "I volunteer, Father." with a curtsy. He helped her to the pedestal and asked her silently, " Are you sure? This would mean you giving up your life to become a Fayth, your soul will be inserted into a statue and beckoned by Summoners and Apprentice Summoners." She looked at LuAnn again and felt heartbroken, but becoming a 'Fayth' could potentially save her from Sin too. On that thought she straightened her back and looked at the Priest and said, "I'm positive, Father. This 'Sin' has already taken two of my three children, I must protect her by keeping Sin at bay. However, I do have a request; that my daughter, LuAnn be taken to a safe place." Father Timidaeu nodded "Of course, Ms...", "Mortima." she finished before he turned to the crowd one last time and concluded his speech, "Madam Mortima here," he gestured to her "has volunteered to become a Fayth for the Summoners to be. We will be taking refuge in Guadosalam until we get more volunteers to become Fayths, should you like to extend your thanks and best wishes to her and her remaining child, LuAnn." He had gestured to her daughter at the end before stepping down and escorting them towards Guadosalam.

Mortima came back to the present with tears streaming down her face, she had been crying silently and uncontrollably as she remembered the last glimpse she got or her little LuAnn before her soul was put into an intricately carved statue. Her little face puffed up and red eyes looking tired from all the tears she had shed for the weeks that followed their arrival to this very city she took refuge in. The majority of her being regretted doing that to LuAnn, but she did not regret the reasons for her decision to follow through with the process of her sacrifice. 'I'm so sorry, Mortima. For everything you lost and gave up.' Lukka's thoughts echoed through her head with heavy sympathetic emotions. She didn't bother to silence her, she felt too thankful to lash out at her. After a few moments of crying Mortima felt herself seem to get weaker, what was going on? She wasn't ready to send herself so she focused on her vengeance and with it, Lukka slipped back to nothing but emotions. She knew because she felt desperation, anger and sorrow.

Vadina

The display of power Jecht was showing was absolutely beautiful. He started it off by glowing like he did before when everyone spoke with loved ones only this time he seemed to have control, until he was in the air releasing pyreflies in waves, like fireworks. Right before he turned into a shapeless form of pyrflies he saw Jecht's expression shift and he seemed distant, like he was looking at something invisible in front of him. The pyrefly display pulsated every few seconds, shockwave after shockwave the Farplane began to get its color and life, so to speak, back.

The display continued for several minutes as the giant U-shaped waterfall began flowing, flowers bloomed, clouds reformed and began churning even pyreflies flew around freely. The old Farplane was back, it was like a stunning world of it's own. Everyone was awestruck as Jecht slowly lowered back down to the ground, shape reforming. When he was fully back and solidified Vadina ran up to him and seen he was crying. Worried, he put his hands on his shoulders and asked "What's wrong?" Jecht looked into his eyes with his own green and blue ones and fell into his arms hugging him tightly.

Everyone ran up to them when they noticed Jecht was sobing and joined in a group hug, after a few long minutes Jecht wiped his face and said "I seen what happened to Mortima's kids, Sin did kill them. It was so sad, she had no idea they didn't make it out of the burning hut until she turned around and didn't see they had followed." He sobbed harder as he continued to speak. "She was crushed, they were so young." Payido gasped and hugged Jecht again "What happened?" Jecht cried again, obviously not wanting to recap what he saw. "Um. It was one of the worst ways to die. Burned alive, I think..." Everyone looked at each other, shocked. "Was that what you were looking at when you first floated up?" Vadina asked, Jecht just nodded. Shinra coughed to get everyone's attention, when Vadina looked at him he seen an apologetic look. "I'm sorry you seen someting like that, Kid. Which is why I'm also sorry to ask for you to share what happened. It may help us with saving Lukka. Jecht had a look of defeat but nodded and recapped what he seen.

Shinra

Payido and Vadina were still comforting Jecht as he stood there contemplating on how the information could be used to free Lukka, body and soul, from the Aeon of Death's grasp. Maytan and Pacce were in the distance somewhere behind him, likely admiring the view, or even calling their loved ones for one last visit before leaving.

Shinra was drawing a blank, Sin killed two of her kids plain and simple. He was recapping the story over and over again trying to come up with something.

"Boss?" Pacce said from beside him, he looked at the hulking man, thought misted in his eyes. "You okay?" He asked. Shinra blinked multiple times, clearing his mind as he comprehended that Pacce had an expression that said he came up with something.

"What is it, Pacce?" He finally asked, turning to face him fully.

"I think, maybe Mortima has some guilt over her two kids deaths." He started, with an posture that said 'you know where I'm going with this'. Shinra felt the excitement rise inside him and he straightened his posture.

"That's it!" He didn't mean to shout the words. Pacce smiled proudly. "Pacce, you're a genius." He praised. "Beauty, kids, Maytan. Pacce just pointed something important out." Everyone looked over at him, curious.

"Well?" Payido stood and faced him.

"Maybe Mortima feels guilty and responsible for her other kids' deaths." He announced. "Jecht? Did she look back as she was running from the hut?"

Jecht twisted his face, remembering with a glint of sorrow in his eyes. "No, she didn't." He confirmed, "She was concerned for herself and LuAnn's lives." Then he shot up. "She must feel like it was her fault, like she could have looked to make sure before running too far away.

"I can atest to that." The ethereal voice of an old man echoed behind Shinra causing everyone to jump. "My apologies, I did not intend to startle you. I am Maechen, a scholar." The figure did the traditional Yevon prayer. Shinra's eye's widened.

"We've met. On the Celsius, eighteen years ago. You had a habit of randomly appearing out of no where." He nodded.

"I believe... you are correct." He sort of confirmed. "My apologies, my memory is not what it used to be."

"Even though you're dead?" Pacce blurted. Shinra jabbed at him, but found his metal arm with his elbow and gasped in pain. "Sorry, sir."

"It's quite alright." The old scholar seemed to glide forward even though his legs were moving. "I can't remember what I was going to say... hmmm."

"You were saying, you could atest to Mortima's guilt." Jecht said helpfully.

"Ah, yes." He put his hands in the air. "I was the young man that found her crying in Besaid, right after she realized that her children didn't make it out of the fire. Such a sad thing." Maechen's ghostly eyes gleamed. It was sad. "Shortly after I invited her to come back to Moonflow city with me, I had hoped the trip would ease her pain. But, alas, there is no way to fully recover from the loss of a child. I could only speculate what it would be like to lose two. Poor, poor woman." He thought for a moment. "During our travels to the city she would cry periodically and one a few occasions I would here her say 'I should have made sure they were following.' Under her breath." Shinra looked down.

"As helpful as that is, I feel like we shouldn't address her guilt." The others looked at him, puzzled so he explained. "If we were to bring it up, she may feel more guilty and snap. We don't have a way of telling how far the extent of power can go." They all looked down too.

"So we're back at nothing." Jecht sighed. "We have got to find a way to bring her peace and free Lukka, alive." The boy said with conviction.

"I... am sorry for your friend. I wish you well in your endeavors, son of High Summoner Yuna." Maechen said as he bowed and began to fade.

"Thank you, sir. But she's not just a friend, she's a sister and a daughter." Jecht said in defeat.

"My sincere apologies, lad." He began to fade away fully. "Hmm... Daughter... Ponderous..." His voice echoed as the pyreflies dispersed into the air above them.

Shinra felt as though he were going somewhere in his thoughts as the old spectre vanished and felt his excitement begin to rise when he heard Vadina speak. "Ponderous?" He was saying. "I wonder if he forgot he had a daughter at some point, too. Given his memory."


End file.
